Met Dept. warns of strong winds and rough seas
May 28, 2024Due to the active South West Monsoonal condition the prevailing showery and windy conditions over the island are expected to continue. Sea areas around the island will be very rough with very strong gusty winds with speeds up to 60-70 kmph.
Issuing a Red Warning for strong winds and rough seas today (May 28) the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Meteorology Department advises the naval and fishing community not to venture into the sea around the island, until further notice.
The swell waves (about 2.5 m – 3.0 m) in height (This is not for land area) may increase in the sea areas off the coast extending from Kalpitiya to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota. There is a possibility that near shore sea areas off the coast extending from Kalpitiya to Matara via, Colombo and Galle may experience surges due to swell waves.
In addition, strong winds of about 50-60 kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills and in the Northern, North-central, Western, Southern and North-western provinces and in the Trincomalee and Monaragala districts. Fairly strong winds of about 30-40 kmph can be expected at times elsewhere on the island, it says.
Showers or thundershowers are possible in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western and Southern provinces. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa province and in Nuwara-Eliya district. Rains are also predicted at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts in the evening or night.
Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has issued a Level 2 (Amber) landslide warning to several areas in the Colombo, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts.
A rise in water levels in several tributaries of the Kalu, Gin and Nilwala rivers has also been reported.
A maximum rainfall of 143.3 mm was recorded from Karagala in the Ratnapura district.
